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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Garden trampolines. I expect most will think IABU.

220 replies

jamdonut · 13/05/2017 11:29

Totally fed up. Next door have a trampoline which ( it seems) is in constant use ( or rather, whenever I am at home it is).

I have a nice , garden . Ex Local authority, so on an estate. I'd like to sit and relax in it, but all you can hear is the sound of squeaky springs, usually accompanied by kids screaming, or, teenagers who bounce so high you can see them over our fence. (Most of these kids do not live at the house, it seems the whole neighbourhood visits to use their garden [ hmm] )
I'm all for kids having fun, but in small gardens, is it fair to subject your neighbours to the accompanied noise/ inconvenience caused?

If you've got the sort of garden that is big enough to not overlook anyone else, all well and good, but I feel like I'm going to have nervous breakdown if I have to put up with this noise or the sight of shirtless teens above my fence any longer. It's like torture.

My neighbours are not the kind of people you can just " have a word with", either.( We lived here 8 years with no problems, before they were moved in 5 years ago)

I just wondered what the consensus of opinion is - am I actually unreasonable or have I turned into a miserable ' old' person? ( My own kids are 17, 20 and 24...but I would never have allowed them to annoy the neighbours like this).

OP posts:
CherryDrop24 · 13/05/2017 11:34

I think yabu. I get how annoying it must be but you can't control how other people use their gardens. Maybe try putting some background music on to drown out the sound of springs?

DonkeyOaty · 13/05/2017 11:36

They don't know they're annoying you. I know it is rage-inducing but I don't think you can do anything, they're not breaking any laws using their garden to play in. Sorry.

Wando1986 · 13/05/2017 11:38

Throw on a bbq when the wind is in their direction and have a few friends round for several hours in the evening

ClaudiaWankleman · 13/05/2017 11:38

I understand it might be annoying, but why would you have a nervous breakdown over something so small?

Is there room in the garden to drag the trampoline a metre or two over towards the other neighbour? Then you probably wouldn't be able to see them over the fence. Tell the neighbours you want to sunbathe nude and wouldn't want the kids to see.

AwaywiththePixies27 · 13/05/2017 11:38

If you're my neighbour that recently bought their own council house, that has been hearing my NDNs DCs on the trampoline today (not mine - mine are inside playing on Roblox like a normal family Wink ).

Well then you can count it as karma for last week when you had parties until 3am for 3days on the fucking trot. HTH. Grin

VerySadInside · 13/05/2017 11:39

Yanbu!

My neighbours shrieking child will be on hers 7am-10pm throughout the summer holiday with various other screaming children.

It is very intrusive, I would not be allowed to stand up a ladder staring into next door but have to out up with them nosey parkering over the fence.

The sound is so grating.

DonkeyOaty · 13/05/2017 11:41

What about planting some bamboo in a rectangular pot to screen the view on that side?

NavyandWhite · 13/05/2017 11:41

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

PastysPrincess · 13/05/2017 11:42

TBF my trampoline squeaks so I'm going to get some WD40 when I get paid. Other than that, I think they are just being normal kids doing normal things. It might be annoying to you but then maybe you did annoying things to other people you dont realise.

Coffeethrowtrampbitch · 13/05/2017 11:42

I think yabu.

If the noise bothers you you could go inside. I live in an ex council house, terraced, garden maybe 30 feet surrounded on all sides. I have a neurological illness which has caused brain damage and find the noises of lawn mowers strimmers and so on unbearable.
But I can't ask about 20 houses not to use power tools ever, so at least twice a day sometimes for hours on end I can't use my garden. It's just tough, it's too much to ask people to compromise so if it bothers me I have to compromise instead.

I have a trampoline for my kids, the noise doesn't bother me the way power tools do. They are only on it after school so it's a relatively short period of noise and at a predictable time, so easier to avoid than my bugbear.

RedBugMug · 13/05/2017 11:43

yanbu
they are quite dangerous as well, esp with teenagerrs trying out silly stunts.
having said that, we have one of the small exercise ones which is great when the dc have their wild few minutes but they can't jump high.

Goosewings · 13/05/2017 11:43

I'm afraid yabu.
Kids having fun in the outdoors is a nice sound to listen to imo (even when my neighbours do it on quad bikes.)

Unluckycat1 · 13/05/2017 11:44

It does sound annoying. We have a trampoline and it's the main reason my children ever go in the garden and their friends love playing on it, and yes they are bloody noisy when they all get on it. But I am conscious of this and would never let them play on it non stop, I try to strongly encourage less shrieking and we don't have friends over that often.

I guess your being unreasonable depends on if you are exaggerating their useage or not. Teens need to let off steam too and as annoying as they might be I think it's nice they are having fun at home, but if it's non stop hours every day that does sound selfish.

DramaInPyjamas · 13/05/2017 11:45

They'll get bored of it eventually. It'll get left to rust in the rain and be given away on Gumtree.

That's seems to be the trampoline script in my area anyway.

Seniorcitizen1 · 13/05/2017 11:46

Yabu - nervous breakdown over children enjoying themselves, what nonesense - get over yourself

Reow · 13/05/2017 11:49

YANBU. We have the same with the house backing onto ours.

I know it's their garden and they can use it as they wish and children make noise.

But you're entitled to fucking hate the constant squeaking and shrieking. I hate it so much. Have you tried wax or silicone noise cancelling ear plugs? They're amazing.

watchoutformybutt · 13/05/2017 11:51

A nervous breakdown? Stop. It's some kids on a trampoline. If you want complete silence you should move into the middle of nowhere.
Our neighbours have radios on in their gardens, power tools and lawn mowers, one neighbour has an outdoor gym area he regularly uses with a punching bag and stuff. We never moan and they dont moan about my kids enjoying the garden. It's just life in the real world. You need to get a grip.

WeAllHaveWings · 13/05/2017 11:59

Out neighbours had a trampoline for a couple of years, thankfully their kids grew out of it but then it changed to cars with noisy music at all hours and if their parents were away all night parties and moved out.

Unfortunately its all part of living close to other people and you cant complain about children playing in their own garden. Have you tried noise cancelling headphones and music?

happypoobum · 13/05/2017 12:00

YABU

Is there something else going on in your life that's dragging you down as this sounds faintly ridiculous.

A bit like the thread last week where a woman complained if her NDN used her garden if she was in hers already. She wouldn't hang out her washing if her NDN was sipping her coffee on the other side of the fence Grin

I am passing you a grip OP.

dangermouseisace · 13/05/2017 12:01

YABU. They are the sounds of life being lived! If they were out there f ing and blinding that would be an issue, but squeaky springs, come on.

FWIW I lived in a house in a very posh area, all houses spaced out, mainly old people. In the summer all you could hear was chainsaws, day in, day out, day after day after day. But nothing else really except wildlife. I've now moved to a LA house, complete with squeaky trampoline neighbours. Trampoline noises are MUCH nicer than chainsaw noises and solitude in my opinion.

I think that there will always be some noise, somewhere that annoys people. Just get yourself some decent over ear headphones and play some music when you're in the garden if it annoys you that much- it will give you a break at least. My kids headphones act pretty much as ear defenders when music isn't playing!

Devorak · 13/05/2017 12:02

I like the sound of children playing. You're being quite unreasonable, as long as it's only being used during social hours.

Original poster
jamdonut · 13/05/2017 12:04

Thanks all!
I know I'm being a bit of a drama queen about having a nervous breakdown...but it is infuriating!
We have to put up with a lot of other crap from them too. They just don't seem to have any empathy for their neighbours.( I know others have complained to the council about them).
I'm not averse to the sound of children playing and having fun. I have it all day, as I am a primary school TA. That's probably half the problem. I have it all day, and then I come home and want to relax, and still have it.!
The poster who said I could just go indoors... I do! But why should I have to, when it is a lovely day, and I want to enjoy the garden my DH has so lovingly created?
I'm just not looking forward to the Summer hols, when it will be going from morning till night ( last year it was quite often till 11:00 at night. )
I know I just have to put up with it. Doesn't make it right or fair though, in my opinion .

OP posts:
LauraPalmersBodybag · 13/05/2017 12:05

I'm afraid yabu. Surely it's a good thing that kids are outside playing and enjoying the nice weather. Everyone has a right to use their gardens and kids shriek and make noise - as long as the hours aren't antisocial I think you have to suck it up.

Better children on trampolines than sat inside watching tv all day.

Some suggestions to deal with it though: like a pp said - WD40 for springs? could you ask your neighbours to 'bury' the legs so they're bouncing at floor height? Play radio/music? Noise cancelling headphones if you want more peace and quiet?

Sorry op!

Nanna50 · 13/05/2017 12:06

People seem to be so intolerant now, when we were kids we used to play out and the gardens and streets were full of kids having a noisy time and parents joining in, we did this with our own children too.

The streets are so quiet these days with kids indoors on their gadgets that when they do come out to play they are seen as a nuisance. I love the sound of kids having fun and laughter.

I much prefer it to the sound of banging, hammering, sawing, lawn mowers, hedge cutters from all the DIY enthusiasts.

NavyandWhite · 13/05/2017 12:07

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.